Chapter 79

I settled into the camper quite well during the next week. I spent my days answering the phone, which almost never rang, and reading the fish and game laws, which took only a couple of hours of intense study. The rest of the time a I day dreamed and watched old tv shows on line.

By the time my week on the desk was over, I was absolutely going mad. I was also able to move around a lot easier on simple OTC pain meds. So I guess the Doctor and the SBI agents were right. I would add Captain Smith in that, but he was just following their orders. I expect he would resent it, if he heard me the SBI could give him orders. I had a feeling it would cause a pissing match.

Hugo had worked on Saturday and Sunday but he wouldn't let me even sit on the desk. I was learning all the time, because I listened and asked questions. For instance I asked Hugo, "So why do the fish and game people have apartments tacked onto the offices?"

"Back in the early days there were no cell phones, and hardly any two way radios which would cover the large rural areas of the state, so it was used by the on duty Game Warden. He would be on duty for 24 hrs at a time at a minimum. So he just slept in the office and from that evolved the small apartment. With the coming of the cell phone. the apartments will going to soon be a thing of the past. I'm more than a little surprised they are providing you a camper," he answered. "People do still know where the offices are, but most places they find an after hours phone number on the door."

"Well that makes perfect sense, but why do you live in the apartment full time?" I asked.

"After the divorce it just seemed easier and I was in the middle of a illegal fish harvesting investigation, so it just happened. They take the rent from my pay." he replied.

"I guess they will take the rent on the trailer from mine," I said.

"I have no idea. I was told to buy your fuel at the filling station on the card, so I assume they mean the propane as well. I know they will be paying the electric bill for the camper, since it is all on one bill." he explained.

"That sounds like a good deal," I guess. "I didn't need the propane last night, since I ran the electric heater all day. It stayed pretty warm in the camper overnight. I did use the extra blankets, but I stayed warm enough. I have to take such fast showers, I don't get time to be cold," I said with a laugh. I could see Hugo's mind turning at the shower comment, but he held off saying anything.

With the end of the first week I insisted on at least riding along. I knew that I could fudge on staying in the truck. No one was going to turn down backup on a call, even if it was from a person not officially there. So when Hugo walked through the door that led to his apartment I was ready to pounce on him. I figured it might take a little drama, but to my surprise Hugo was ready for me.

"Okay rookie today we are going to spot check boats on the waterway. You are dressed warm I hope," he said.

"I can be in a very few minutes," I said heading back to the trailer. Between the cotton shirt and the light weight jacket the state provided, I added a thick sweat shirt. The Kevlar vest was under the cotton shirt. I might be pretty easy going about the risk, but since that Sunday morning run, I was a big believer in the Kevlar.

While I was adding the thick layer of fleece, Hugo was getting the outboard motor from the storage building. It was a Mercury 6 horse motor I saw sitting on the boat when I arrived on the dock. "From the size of that motor I would say we don't chase speed boats," I said.

"No, we aren't suppose to run down rum runners. That is a job for the DEA and ABC agents. But there is nothing that says we can't make them run, which is pretty good probably cause for those guys to give chase," Hugo said that with the smile again. It seemed like in those twenty years he had figured out a way to be satisfied with his lot in life.

"Probably cause is always a good thing," I said.

"Yes it is," Hugo agreed. Then a second later he asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

"No but it's okay I can manage, I had some coffee," I admitted.

"Well in about an hour or so, we will be at the waterway cafe. It's a little yuppie for my taste but now and then I like it. We can grab an egg or a bagel there," he explained. "Put on that life preserver."

I strapped on the ugly yellow pilot's type vest. One that you pulled the trigger to inflate it. I felt a little like the Pillsbury Doughboy, when I finished even without it being inflated.

We took off headed downstream, which was in an easterly direction. I have no idea how fast we were actually going but it seemed a nice steady clip. The air was cool and I was glad that I had added the sweat shirt. We seemed to go about fifteen minutes or so before the stream we were on merged into a much larger one. We had entered the inland waterway. We turned left which suggested we were headed in a northernly direction.

"Terry we are on the waterway headed north now." Hugo said. "If we don't stop we will be at turtle bay in about a little over an hour. That's as far north as we are allowed to go, unless we are in pursuit of someone. So this morning we will check fishing license from Black River, where we came onto the waterway, to Turtle bay and then turn around and head south. That should take all day. I try to do it once a week, if I have time."